Miami/Fulton Counties – Recently, nine departments in north central
Indiana teamed up for six days to help stem the flow of illegal narcotics into
Hoosier communities.

Officers from the
Indiana State Police, the Miami County Sheriff’s Department, the Logansport
Police Department, the Peru Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff’s
Department, the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, the Wabash County Sheriff’s
Department, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and the Rochester Police
Department utilized marked and unmarked police cars to conduct saturation
patrols on U.S. 31 in Miami and Fulton Counties.Patrol officers were augmented by K-9
officers utilizing narcotic detecting police dogs.

Officers dubbed the unannounced
six day patrols “Operation Blue Anvil.” The goal was to enforce traffic laws
and catch individuals who utilize Indiana roadways to transport and distribute
illegal narcotics. U.S. 31 was chosen because a large volume of motorists
utilize the road to travel through the heart of northern Indiana. Officers
wanted to serve notice that as the summer temperatures increase, so will their
vigilance in keeping illegal narcotics from reaching Hoosier communities.

June 19 through June
21, and June 26 through June 28, officers teamed up to make 129 criminal arrests
on 272 different drug related charges. Forty-eight of the charges were
classified as felonies. Officers also issued 193 traffic citations and 511
written warnings. There was also three driving while impaired arrests. During
the six days, officers located cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, marijuana,
psilocybin mushrooms, edible marijuana food, MDMA, prescription medication, and
numerous drugs that have yet to be identified. They also located drug
paraphernalia. All of the contraband was found during traffic stops made by the
various police departments.

“This is the eighth straight
year we have organized summer driving season kickoff patrols,” stated Indiana
State Police Sergeant Dan Prus, who organized and oversaw the patrols. “Summer is
a peak travel time with an increased volume of people traveling thought-out
Indiana. Police officers want the patrols to serve as a reminder to drivers to follow
all traffic laws for the safety of everyone utilizing Indiana’s roads. The patrols
should also serve as a warning that police officers will utilize all of the
resources at their disposal to catch and arrest the few who transport illegal
drugs.”

Citizens are
encouraged to call their local law enforcement agencies with any information
about the possession, distribution, or selling of illegal narcotics.
Information can also be reported anonymously by calling the Indiana State Police
Drug and Gang Hotline at 1-800-453-4756.

All criminal
defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt in a court of law.